There are many reasons why everyone should be concerned about pharmaceutical waste and compliance to safe disposal practices. Improper disposal of pharmaceutical waste causes serious contamination to the environment primarily showing up in water supplies. With the current opioid epidemic in the United States, improper disposal of controlled substances is one of the biggest contributing factors to drug diversion.
Proper disposal of pharmaceutical waste is critical to protect the environment and prevent the misuse and diversion of medications, particularly controlled substances.
Compliant Drug Disposal Protects the Environment
Several studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Society, USGS, and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, showed alarming pharmaceutical contamination in lakes, rivers and streams and even in municipalities’ drinking water. This was especially true prior to stricter regulations implemented with the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010.
Pharmaceuticals detected in water streams downstream from pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities was up to 1,000 times higher than in other areas, although contamination of the water supply was also known to occur from hospitals and long-term care facilities when flushing was allowed. Flushing of pharmaceutical waste is no longer allowed with the most recent DEA and EPA regulations for drug disposal.
Pharmaceutical Waste Compliance Prevents Drug Diversion
The Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, issued CFR 21 which was effective in September of 2014 and outlines additional rules which govern the secure and safe disposal of controlled substances, by registrants Unused controlled substances must be disposed of properly by DEA registrants.
Following a detailed and compliant drug disposal policy which includes tracking each pharmaceutical with a chain of custody from issuance to disposal is critical to prevent drug diversion especially in the healthcare industry. There has been great progress in educating those in the pharmaceutical industry including pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacists, physicians, and healthcare workers about the importance of compliant medication waste disposal. Preventing drug diversion protects the health of patients, healthcare staff and mitigates risk of liability to hospitals and healthcare facilities.
C2R Global Manufacturing, Inc. offers chemical digestion, pharmaceutical waste compliance disposal products in easy to use containers that meet DEA and EPA compliance standards. The patented* solution in our drug waste containers quickly neutralizes medications to render them non-retrievable and compliant with DEA regulations. We also provide our customers with free sample requests, and industry best practices as well as additional support to meet compliance regulations with DEA compliance consulting services through our trusted partner, GTC Consulting.
C2R Global Manufacturing, Inc. offers safe, easy, and affordable drug disposal products with no contracts and no hidden fees. We provide on-site training and implementation along with available compliance consulting services. Contact us with any questions and to learn more about our convenient and compliant pharmaceutical waste compliance products.
